


Nets Are Stronger Than Snares

by WildcatPacer



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-16 22:41:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11838486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WildcatPacer/pseuds/WildcatPacer





	1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

District 12 is probably it's most peaceful at night. The stars shine bright without the smog coming from the mines. The staple of our economy has slowed down considerably since the Second Rebellion, as there are not many miners left alive to populate it. So many of them died in the war.

I know of many others too. Annie Cresta, a fellow Victor of the Hunger Games, died in childbirth bringing her only son into the world. Gale Hawthorne, my hunting partner and best friend, in a bombing attack. He was my friend, until I learned after his passing that the bomb he helped to create killed... My sister. Primrose.

Less than 500 people have returned to 12 after the war. Very few people survived the bombings after the Third Quarter Quell, and the war combat itself claimed many others. Thankfully, my mother was not among the dead, though she did flee her homeland out of grief for her youngest daughter's passing. I heard in a letter from Finnick that she has re-dedicated her purpose to rebuilding the hospital in District 4. She has even married again and is reportedly very happy. Haymitch looks after me now, as does Peeta Mellark.

My fellow Victors. Besides my mentor and... lover, only five other Victors managed to survive the war. Enobaria Golding, the last living Career of District 2. Beetee Latier, the genius from District 3. Finnick Odair of District 4, handsome and widowed and a father at the tender age of 25. Johanna Mason, a sarcastic Victor from District 7. And then District 12 has three of their four Victors alive and well.

Peeta has gotten better since he returned from medical treatment in the Capitol. Though he still has flashbacks from his hijacking that attempted to make him hate me, he has managed to fall in love with me all over again. We kiss a lot, even make out a little bit, but I never let him touch me anywhere untoward. Sex is something that I remain ambivalent towards, and I fear if we did make love... something would go wrong. Like he might have a flashback and try to kill me. He could do it oh so easily in that moment, especially if he were... on top.

Nevertheless, I cannot deny it anymore. He has gotten amazingly better. The flashbacks last less longer now, and are more few and far between. And those of District 12 who have come home have an interesting understanding of our relationship. Even though Peeta's declaration of our nuptials was not true (and still isn't), the rest of the district's residents still treat us as though we  _are_  married. Sometimes, I have traded in the Hob and people will refer to me as "Mrs. Mellark." Really. As for me, I find it amusing, even if the pressure to marry him and have done with it only grows with this mistaken identity. But I hardly think a wedding, much less a toasting, is necessary. As far as I am concerned, I married him when we kissed on that beach the final night of the Quell. There was no piece of toast to be had then, but that kiss still made me feel like I had become someone's wife. Peeta's wife. Or at least, something deep had shifted between us. Peeta is my home now. I have found home. So why bother having any formal solidification of that?

Regardless, when I come home that night, Peeta smiles at me and kisses me and softly asks me to marry him. And his eyes are so blue and the life I have is... happy, in its own little way, that I give an answer different to the one I have given the last four years or so.

I say Yes.

* * *

I kneel before the fireplace in my mother's wedding gown. She thankfully left it behind to me, as though she suspected I might need it someday. I would never wear any of the wedding dresses the Capitol assigned to me, and one of them I had already given away, to Finnick and Annie for their wedding in District 13.

Inviting our fellow Victors is too risky. Besides, its' the middle of the night and on such short notice. If we waited and tried to notify them, word would get out. And the Capitol press would have a field day. If I am to get married, I don't want cameras or any fuss. I want it to be simple, plain, traditional. As I am. Which is why I wear my mother's wedding dress. I have only ever seen her in it once, on old film reels of hers and Daddy's toasting on the battered projector we owned. A toasting between a Seam miner and a Merchant woman was very controversial at the time, even scandalous, so only a few people showed up as guests. Cotton Hawthorne, Gale's father, and his wife Hazelle, were among them and they gave the projector to my parents and filmed their wedding as a gift.

Peeta comes down in a suit. I don't know if it once belonged to his father. The poor Baker and his two older sons, and even his witch of the wife were killed in the firebombings. Still, my husband-to-be looks incredibly handsome.

Our only guest is Haymitch Abernathy. He has agreed to do literally everything else for the wedding: bring the booze, walk me down the aisle and give me away and be Peeta's Best Man. Once Haymitch has given me away, Peeta and I kneel beside the fireplace. Haymitch produces the documents he smuggled out of the Justice Building, which Peeta and I sign. Our mentor will smuggle them back in first thing in the morning... and hope the Chief Clerk doesn't notice.

Then, Peeta and I toast a piece of bread over the fire. Sharing the piece, we then lean in and share a tender kiss, licking the errant crumbs off of each other's lips. I moan in delight, and it is only when we break apart, that I realize:  _I'm_   _a married woman_. I am Mrs. Peeta Mellark.

Haymitch dutifully applause, shakes Peeta's hand, kisses my cheek, leaves the alcohol even though we won't drink it and goes home. We never really planned to have a reception and risk waking the whole district. Peeta and I go upstairs and to bed, sharing the same one as we have for many years. Only this time, it feels different.

"Good night," I murmur, still in my wedding dress. Peeta spoons me from behind and kisses my cheek.

"I love you, Katniss Mellark," he whispers in my ear. "Now can we talk about children?"

I should freeze. Since I was a young girl, I had vowed that I would never marry, though now I have broken that vow of chastity. I also swore I would never have babies of my own, for fear of sending them inadvertently to the Games. But the Games are over now, and Peeta and I have a beautiful godson of our own, Finnick Odair Jr. So I say...

"I'll think about it."


	2. Chapter 1: Arrival of Family

**Chapter 1: Arrival of Family**

I should have known that my married life with Peeta would be too good to be true.

About fifteen months after we got married, my husband was called away to the Capitol for some more testing with Dr. Arelius. When he didn't return on his scheduled train, I started to worry. I became paranoid that the Capitol had kidnapped my spouse for some reason. Haymitch was ready to call the Peacekeepers. However, a few days later, Dr. Arelius called with news that would send me wailing and toppling to the ground: my beloved husband had suffered an accident via an overdose of medicine and had died.

I wanted to die too. To kill myself. Without the dandelion light of Peeta in my life, I felt that life was not worth living. But then I remembered that if I managed to commit suicide, that would leave Haymitch all alone...

It's been over a year since my beloved Peeta's death. We Victors held a fine, private funeral for him, and then had to convene again not long after for Enobaria's funeral. Only five of us now remain: Beetee, Finnick, Johanna and Haymitch and myself. The Victors' Council, as we are known, meets with President Paylor at her discretion, which thankfully has not been often. But the one meeting we have had since Peeta's and Enobaria's loss, the group has felt a lot smaller. Mostly, there was mourning over Peeta - none of us cared for Enobaria, as she only used convenient opportunism to save her own skin in the Quell and survive the war. I sometimes regret that we didn't get to her quickly enough in the Quell before the arena blew up.

* * *

The Victor's Village is quiet now, with only Haymitch and I living there in two mansions next door. Peeta's, or what used to be Peeta's before he married me, has now been turned into a shrine by the District 12 citizens. The Capitol mourned his passing for an entire week when the news first broke.

So, it is a surprise to hear some noise, when Greasy Sae comes into the Village shrieking about Finnick Odair and little Finn are here. They were just seen wandering through town with some suitcases, looking a little confused. Evidently, District 12 and its coal dust is a world apart from District 4 and its fine seas and shores.

Still, I wait in my house until there is a knock at the door. I am then surprised, or pretend to act surprised, over my Victor colleague and my godson.

"Finny! My darling! How are you?" I cover my Peeta's and my godchild - probably the closest we ever came to actually having a child - with kisses. He is only six, but he treats me as though I am his favorite person in the world.

I hug his father then, who smiles sadly. "I am sorry to barge in like this, Hell Kat -" I bristle at the nickname he insists on calling me. I think he got it from Johanna. " - but... times have changed. District 4 just isn't enough anymore for me and him." He gestures to little Finn now scampering about my kitchen. "We were hoping we could live with you temporarily, until we find a place of our own? Refugees, you know."

I smile and accept at once. Of course they can stay with me. We are like family in a way. Apparently, having me and Peeta as her baby's godparents was Annie's last wishes. I would do anything for the boy, and thus Finnick. The elder Odair and I were allies in an entire arena, after all. And I think we always will be allies.

Finnick and Finn stay with me for many months. I apologize to Finn that there is really only one body of water anywhere near Twelve, and it's a lake that used to be off-limits, deep in the woods. He could only fish there, but without any boating. So Finnick catches fish and sells them in the Hob for now, until he can come up with a better job. It isn't a lot, but with my hunting catches. it's something.

One day, I am just returning from a hunt as Finnick is out on my front porch getting the mail. He goes through a few before he must find a letter addressed to me, for he hands me an envelope. Odd. I almost never get mail - not even from Mother, as I only learned about her and her new husband through missives from Finnick. But I open the letter anyway. I blanch and feel rage all at once when I realize it is from Dr. Arelius. Then I keep reading and a hand goes to my mouth.

"Kat? What it is?"

"Dr. Arelius says the Capitol has something of Peeta's. They have his... sperm."


	3. Chapter 2: Injection of Sperm

**Chapter 2: Injection of Sperm**

Finnick stares at me, thrown by the announcement. Nevertheless, he all but whispers, "Are you sure?"

I show him the letter. "That's what it says. He is asking me what I think they should do with it."

"Wait," Finnick furrows his brow in a frown. "This doesn't make any sense. Why would they have Peeta's sperm? And how did they even get it?"

"During his torture, of course. Maybe they thought they could create a... child artificially. To further get to me."

Finnick stares in bewilderment. "But that would have required your eggs? Do you think they could have done that."

Even as I begin to shake with the news, my gaze is resolute. "I do think so. With the Capitol, nothing was impossible."

"So..." Finnick thinks. "The answer's obvious, right? Have the sperm samples destroyed! If they ever fell into the wrong hands..."

"No," I say suddenly, very sharply. Finnick blinks. "Well, yes and no. I want to have Dr. Aurelius inject me with one of Peeta's sperm. I get pregnant, and once I know for certain that the baby will be born healthy and I won't suffer a miscarriage, I will order Aurelius to destroy the rest.

Finnick nods, approving the plan. "Call him, then. State your terms."

* * *

I call Aurelius, but I don't give him my terms. I merely request an at-home appointment and ask him to bring Peeta's entire sperm bank and injection needles. I don't trust Aurelius enough to tell him my aims over the phone; an appointment in my own home gives me the chance to trap him into getting what I want. Dr. Aurelius agrees, without asking why he needs to bring these items. Perhaps he can guess. Mother had injection needles, but not many, during her time as a Healer, for couples who had trouble procreating the natural way. But they were very expensive to restock from the Capitol or one of the richer districts. Too expensive for a place like Twelve.

When Aurelius arrives, I tell him my plan. "I used to be adverse to the idea of having children. By any man. But if there is a way for me to still have a child by my late husband, I will do so to honor him. And my godson would love a cousin of sorts to play with. Inject me with my husband'a sperm as many times as you need to until there is conception. Then, as soon as it's assured that the fetus will be born healthy, you are to destroy every other sperm belonging to Peeta Mellark. Effie Trinket will make sure that you do. Clear?"

Aurelius smiles. "Crystal, Mrs. Mellark." I have him promise in writing, through a legal contract. Then, Aurelius injects me with my husband's sperm.

All I can do now is wait.

* * *

It only takes one injection, which surprises me. But after a few weeks, I begin to throw up regularly. I can feel my stomach swelling. Feel my breasts balloon, laden with milk.

After a couple of months, my stomach is out to my feet. Finnick and Finn help me throughout my pregnancy. After the first trimester, the baby girl looks healthy, and I order Aurelius to destroy the remaining sperm samples. This he does.

Nine months later, I have an in-house birth, with Finnick and Finn and Haymitch by my side. I always wanted a daughter, maybe because my mother only had girls, and I name her Clementine. I am pleased that she inherited most of Peeta's features - his blonde hair, his blue eyes. Our daughter has a little of me as well. I introduce her to Finn.

All is well with my world.


	4. Chapter 3: Find This Distracting?

**Chapter 3: Find this Distracting?**

But my world does not stay well for long. As time passes, the Odairs become a staple in my house. And Finnick and I grow closer. He must grow more comfortable around me, for he sometimes strolls about my house shirtless, as if he's lived with me all his life. And one day, he accidentally walks in on me as I'm changing and while he's still shirtless! Finnick grins at my discomfort, for he suddenly repeats a joke he once displayed to me when we were younger and in District 13.

"Do you find this..." he strips naked and strikes a pose. "Distracting?"

I flush as I catch an eyeful of his manliness and shoo him away. For a naked Finnick is distracting. Very much.

And it leaves me distracted for the rest of the day. So much so, that in frustration, I decide to pay a visit in the Seam to Hazelle Hawthorne.


	5. Chapter 4: Go In To, Lie With Him

**Chapter 4: Go In To, Lie With Him**

Hazelle Hawthorne is an old friend of my parents. She also happens to be Haymitch's laundry lady. AND, she was Gale's mother. She had five children with him as the oldest, until she lost them all to death in the war.

And now, she has become like a mother to me.

She seems to know why I've come to her before I even get a chance to explain. She knows that Finnick and Finn have been living with me. So she merely says:

"Child, make haste to Finnick Odair and take him and take him as your husband. Go in to him and lie with him like a wife would lie with her husband, so that you might bear his children and be happy again."

I flush instantly, for I know what she says to be true. I am in love with Finnick. And I have to tell him.

* * *

I come back to see Finnick out on the front porch. I stayed with Hazelle a long time, taking of old days and gathering my courage. Finn and Clementine must be in bed by now. Finnick brightens when he sees me.

"I was worried about you..."

I grab his groin, pull him to me and kiss him hard on the lips. After a few minutes, he gets over his initial surprise and moans incessantly. He flagrantly gropes me, pawing my ass and breasts.

I back us up into the house and we fall back onto the couch, him on top. We tear at each other's clothes. I help Finnick remove my panty hose tights and, grinning and panting, I wrap my bare legs around his torso and squeeze. We need to be quiet... if Finn saw what his naughty godmother was doing now...

Finnick and I have sex. He finishes me off pretty quickly, and I cry out as I orgasm. But Finnick stays stubborn; he won't cum. So I make him pull out, and I take him in my mouth.

I have never had a man's foreskin cradled between my lips. Other than my dead husband's. But Finnick groans, weaving his hands into my hair, my skull. Though I have no intention of moving. Not until -

"Katniss!" Finnick cries as he cums in my mouth at last. I swallow every last drop, and we fall asleep on that couch in each other's naked embrace.


	6. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Finnick and I get married in a quiet ceremony that is actually repeated twice. Each time, we honor our home districts' traditions. I toast a piece of bread with Finnick and we share it and seal it with a kiss. This time, Haymitch and Finn and Clementine are present. Then, Finnick takes me out to the lake that once belonged to my father. I dunk him in, as is District 4 custom and he carries me across to a flat-bottomed boat he fashioned himself.

Our honeymoon is romantic and we have a lot of sex. Soon after, I become pregnant. And nine months later, I give birth to Finnick's and my son, whom I name Eric.

I have three children from three different sets of parents. What a life I never imagined for myself!


End file.
